


An Apparition

by orphan_account



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: All I know how to write is Kirigiri feeling survivor's guilt, Angst, Either cuz it's sad or c r i n g e, F/F, Ghosts, I Made Myself Cry, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I'm literally kinda crying, Komaru is very confused, Post-Canon, Survivor Guilt, bruuuh, i'm not even sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:27:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24142825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Takes place after the events of DR3. While setting out some preparations for the reopening of Hope's Peak Academy, Kyoko and Komaru had a good talk to one another. However, it was also when Komaru started to notice that there was an unknown presence right behind the detective that only she could feel.
Relationships: Kirigiri Kyoko/Celestia Ludenberg
Comments: 4
Kudos: 47





	An Apparition

**Author's Note:**

> A friend of mine inspired me to write this! Thanks a lot, Karma! ;)

"That should be the last of it." 

Kyoko Kirigiri had just unpacked some textbooks in the newly renovated Hope's Peak library. She managed to do her fair share of cleaning, days before the academy could be back in business, thanks to Makoto Naegi, who was the new headmaster of the school. 

The former Ultimate Detective had decided to give herself a quick break from all this work by sitting down and reading a book or two to calm her nerves. She couldn't admit it, but after all that she and the rest of her classmates had been through, it's good to take a little break, every now and then. 

"Kirigiri-chan!" A voice called out from outside. 

Stepping in was Makoto's sister, Komaru. She bought with her some lunch and placed it on the table. Komaru was apparently told by Makoto to bring Kyoko some lunch because he knew she would be hungry despite having to claim the opposite. 

"You didn't really have to bring me food, Komaru. I'm fine." Kyoko said. 

"That's what I told Big Brother, but he kept on insisting it." Komaru shrugged.

"Besides, he's right. You definitely should eat a lot more!" 

Kyoko just sighed. Makoto was just as concerned for her as ever. It couldn't be helped, because he did owe her one after being used as a sacrifice when Junko Enoshima had rigged up Mukuro Ikusaba's fabricated murder case.

"If you insist, then…." Kyoko opened the lunchbox. She was definitely determined enough to feast upon her well needed meal. 

Then she suddenly stopped, while her eyes grew wide.

"Kirigiri-chan? What's the matter?" Komaru raised a brow. 

Luckily for the detective, she regained her composure all of a sudden, but she quickly lost her appetite for no apparent reason.

"You don't like gyoza?"

Yeah, she now remembered why.

"Well, I….. It's nothing, Komaru. It's just that….." Kyoko was out of words, one of the most unlikely things for her to do. 

"Huh? Was something bothering you?" 

The lavender-haired sleuth didn't bother responding at all.

Even after these years, she's still taken back from when *she* was still around….. 

But now that *she's* gone, Kyoko tried to move on and forget about *her*. It wasn't an easy task, but she tried so hard to remove all of the horrible memories she had with *her*. 

And now, it all came back to her like it was the beginning. 

"If you want, I could bring you some wate-" 

"No need, Komaru. It's fine. I'll eat it." Kyoko said. 

"Bu-" 

"I'm fine. I just…. remembered something…." 

With that, she started to dig in. The detective hadn't had a single taste of the dish since forever, and she wouldn't have even known about the dish if it weren't for a certain someone in her life who adored its stench and flavor. 

Komaru just watched as Kyoko calmly finished the gyoza, and once she was full, she went back to reading.

"Say uh…. Not to be nosy or anything, but I didn't know you're fond of gyoza!" Komaru exclaimed.

"Oh….. I guess so." Kyoko replied.

"I knew someone who loved gyoza more than anything. She was utterly disappointed when she never got the chance to try her hometown's special dish all over again, but because of the Tragedy…. it got a lot worse for her." 

Komaru tilted her head. 

"Really? Where is she now?"

Kyoko wished she could answer something else, but….. 

"Gone. She's been long gone." Even though it was a harsh truth for her, the detective gave out her honest answer.

"Oh…. I'm sorry about that, Kirigiri-chan. The gyoza I bought you must have brought back a lot of stuff, huh?"

Kyoko looked away. 

"It's okay. Not that much of a big deal, really." 

But it was.

She was suspicious of others, and didn't want anyone minding on her business. 

And back at Hope's Peak, she found someone who somehow shares the same, yet also contrasting mentality as her.

Celestia Ludenberg was more or less described as a woman of her class. Calm, calculated, rather intelligent, and doesn't want to get involved in anyone else's business. 

Just like everyone else during their times in the Mutual Killing Game, Kyoko was just as untrustful with her. However, the gambler took a slight amount of interest on the detective from the small time they had spent together. 

Oddly enough, they often talk to one another during the curfew hours, of which Celeste had implemented herself, ironically speaking.

There would be times where Celeste had spoke out to her on how much she missed a part of her hometown in Tochigi despite having to claim herself from French and German descent, a poorly fabricated lie of hers from the very moment she had met her. She told the detective many things about her that was far off from the facade she puts on to the rest of her class.

Kyoko didn't admit it, but she somewhat felt empathy towards the gambler, and simply wished that she'd one day achieve the happiness she wanted.

It sadly didn't happen for her.

Celestia was a ruthless murderer with no empathy for the crimes she had committed, and therefore deserved to be punished for it. But at the same time, the detective had questioned herself on whether she regretted it or not. 

To this day, she wanted to forget all the time they had spent together. 

She wanted to forget the time she told her of what she wanted in life. 

She wanted to forget that…. She loved her. Heck, it was late enough for her to confess about it!

Taeko Yasuhiro was already dead before Kyoko Kirigiri even knew she was in love with her. 

At this point onwards, Kyoko was completely blank. She didn't move a muscle, nor spoke out any other word. She just stood there, thinking and dwelling on the past that she wanted to conceal, but now couldn't. 

"Kirigiri-chan, are you okay?" 

Kyoko then snapped back to the reality of the present as Komaru gave her a concerned look. 

Again, she wasn't able to come up with a proper response.

"Are you….. sure you didn't wanna talk about that girl you mentioned again?" She asked the detective. 

Normally, Kyoko would cover things up, but not for now. She needed to be honest about how she truly feels.

And with that, Kyoko told her everything. 

Komaru listened to the detective's story, and when she was through, Komaru felt the sadness that once overtook her as she was fighting for her survival in Towa City.

"This is exactly what Big Brother felt when Miss Sayaka died, huh? I knew he was sad because of her, and I'm sure you and everyone else felt the same, too….." 

Kyoko sighed. She was able to let it all out. She let all of the grief and sorrow she hid through all of these years. 

It was all because she still loved her, even in death. 

She wanted to cry, but she knew she couldn't do that at all.

All Komaru can do was watch as the detective was try to control herself from the verge of sadness.

"It's my fault for why it had to end like this, but I didn't have a choice." Kyoko stated.

"She deserved to live her dream, but I knew it was wrong. So…. I had to do what was right. She was horrible, but….. there was a reason for that. She claimed to hate her true self, and therefore wanted to be someone else in order to gain the dream of hers that would have made her happy and satisfied. Unfortunately, she was lead to the wrong path…"

And with that, the room became silent. Neither one of the girls spoke up about anything at all. 

That was until….. a miracle had happened. 

A miracle Komaru could only see. 

Standing right next to the detective…. was a petite girl, nearly the same height as her. Her ebony colored hair had two large drills on each side, and she was wearing a beautiful white dress made out of satin and lace. When the girl turned around to Komaru's direction, she saw her scarlet red eyes that could have blinded her by this point in time.

Komaru was shocked. She knew she could see ghosts of people, but this ghost radiates a different aura than any other of her kind, as if she was still well and living.

This *must* be the girl Kyoko was talking about, wasn't she? 

The ghost had then walked to Komaru with an assuring smile and placed a hand on Komaru, and for a moment, the girl was out.

_"Kirigiri-san…."_

That voice, Kyoko had thought. It was an apparition from the past, lingering all over again. 

The detective turned back at Komaru, whose irises are now blank and soulless. 

_"I have returned to you through this girl right here, and I'm here to tell you that…. I'm really sorry for you having to live like this."_

_"You're right. I don't deserve anything after trying to murder Yamada and Ishimaru with no amount of remorse, and I'm proud of it. Call me horrible, pathetic, and a worthless human being, and I won't even be sorry because it was the absolute truth."_

Kyoko never believed in such absurd things as ghosts and the paranormal, but with the way Komaru was talking to her, it like Celestia's presence was still there and had never left her, even after getting executed. 

_"But let me tell you this. Do you think there is a reason for me to be so confident with my true self whenever I'm with you?"_

For most of the time, the detective was silent. She's always been silent, yet this was an awfully different kind of silence. 

_"You're far too confident on solving the mysteries surrounding the academy, and for that, I had admired you. And whenever I get to see you running around in the late hours of the night just proves how stubborn and eager you are with learning more about your talent and background, am I right?"_

"Y…. You were…." Kyoko mumbled.

_"But don't fret, dear Kyoko. I never really resented you after putting me through hell throughout the entire trial. After all, why would I hate you if I entrusted you with the only hope you had for escape? If I knew any better and didn't give you the key, I'd bet you'd all be screwed up for a chance of survival, and I *would've* done that, but of course, I didn't, and it's all because of one thing…. "_

_"It's because I love you, Kyoko."_

And there, Kyoko stood frozen. She couldn't believe what she had just heard!

"Wh….What?"

_"Because of you, I was hesitant enough to keep up with this mask. You truly understand me more than I understand myself, and even so…. It's pointless now. Just like when I was about to say it right before my untimely demise."_

"Taeko…." 

_"I'd also like to say something, before I go once more. It isn't really much, but….. please don't forget me. Whether with hatred or with fondness, I don't care. Because either way, I'll still know whenever you think of me. As I stated once more, I apologize for putting you through this silent guilt and sorrow, and I hope you're now happy. Don't worry about me, though. I'll be watching over you, in another life. Who knows? We might meet again right there. Just the two of us….."_

And with that, Komaru was free from Celestia's possession. The girl felt a bit of a concussion, but she's now staring at a teary-eyed detective. 

"Kirigiri-chan, are you…… crying?" 

All of a sudden, Kyoko hugged Komaru, much to the latter's surprise, and was now fighting back the tears that are slowly flowing from her cheeks. Kyoko couldn't recall the last time she's done this, but it didn't matter to her. 

Komaru was confused, for she didn't remember anything for when Celeste's ghost had possessed her body, but even so, tries her best to comfort Kyoko. 

"It's alright, Kirigiri-chan. I'm sure you'll be fine." Komaru assured, while the detective is able to control herself from crying. 

And at a blink of an eye, she saw *her* again. 

Celeste rested her hand on Kyoko's shoulder with a reassuring smile on her face. Even when she's no longer around, and even when the detective couldn't see her, she knew she could count on her other friends to help her get through from the pain and despair. 

She then looked at Komaru, while the latter stood back. 

_"Thank you…. For giving me an opportunity to talk with her again."_

Komaru took long enough to respond, but all things were fine as she nodded in gratitude to the gambler's apparition. 


End file.
